Daily Clips for January 6, 2010

FEATURED STORIES Marco Rubio takes his place as Florida's newest U.S. senator By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Related: In Congress, the new kids from Florida are in town Marco Rubio, who upended Florida politics and the ambitions of a popular governor, was sworn into office Wednesday and pledged to represent the voice of dissent that was so potent in November. Browning named secretary of state, Buzzett to head DCA Florida Capital Bureau Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Kurt Browning to return as secretary of state. Scott also announced Wednesday that land-use lawyer and developer Billy Buzzett will head the Department of Community Affairs, with instructions to merge the agency with others that will cut state regulation and help produce jobs. State report on foreclosure crisis slams banks, mortgage industry, lawyers By Kimberly Miller Palm Beach Post Sweeping evidence of the case the state attorney general's office has built in its pursuit of foreclosure justice for Florida homeowners is outlined in a 98-page presentation complete with copies of allegedly forged signatures, false notarizations, bogus witnesses and improper mortgage assignments. Teachers, parents wear red to protest Scott's school reform ideas By Carol Fitzpatrick South Florida Sun-Sentinel They called it "Red Tuesday." In a quiet show of opposition to changes proposed by Gov. Rick Scott's education transition team, some parents and teachers across Florida wore red and lit up Facebook with messages of support for public schools. FLORIDA POLITICS New Congressman David Rivera made quick condo sale, repaid debt By Scott Hiaasen, Patricia Mazzei, and Lesley Clark Miami Herald Only eight days after winning election to Congress, David Rivera sold a condominium to his mother's company in an effort to stave off increasing questions about his personal and campaign finances -- and an unfolding criminal investigation. Leadership battle heats up at Republican Party of Florida By Abel Harding Florida Times-Union With Republicans gathering in Orlando next weekend to elect a new party chair, a previously uncontested race appears to have gathered a new candidate. Special Miami-Dade Commission meeting sought on recall-election issue By Martha Brannigan and Matthew Haggman Miami Herald Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Joe A. Martinez asked the board to hold a special meeting Jan. 13 to grapple with the hypersensitive issue of setting a recall election for Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas. Scott orders Fla.'s 2 remaining planes sold Associated Press As promised, Gov. Rick Scott has ordered the sale of the last two state executive aircraft. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Commission won't be last word on Gulf oil spill By Harry Weber and Dana Cappiello Associated Press Disasters like the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig could happen again without significant reform, a conclusion by a presidential panel that has the companies involved in the nation's largest oil spill in history pointing fingers at each other again. Scott names development exec. as top Fla. planner By Bill Kaczor Associated Press Gov. Rick Scott named a development company executive as Florida's next planning chief Wednesday and brought Kurt Browning out of retirement to again serve as secretary of state. BP money spills into Southwest Florida By Mark Krzos Fort Myers News-Press A compensation clearinghouse says BP has paid almost $50 million to Lee and Collier businesses and individuals affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Oil industry lobbyist says lower taxes, expanding drilling would mean more jobs By Kate Bradshaw WMNF-FM Today, as a new Congress prepares to settle in on Capitol Hill, oil industry lobby group American Petroleum Institute called on lawmakers to ease taxes and regulation on the industry. EDUCATION Education battles ahead for new Florida governor By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union With a number of proposals to expand voucher programs and other options outside of traditional public schools floating around the Capitol, there are signs that a battle about school choice could be brewing. School officials await word on class size fines By Angeline Taylor Bradenton Herald In 12 days, Manatee County School officials will learn if they have to pay a maximum of $1.11 million in fines for not meeting class size reductions in elementary, middle and high schools. Palm Beach County school leaders target suspensions, bullying for improvement By Kevin D. Thompson Palm Beach Post Reducing the number of out of school suspensions and making schools safer are becoming top priorities, Palm Beach County school board members were told Wednesday night. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Scott orders reviews of 53 rules – but doesn't say how they'll occur By Aaron Deslatte and Scott Powers Orlando Sentinel Acting on his anti-regulatory priority, Gov. Rick Scott's first act in office was to sign a sweeping executive order putting a hold on all pending state government regulations. Buchanan proposes balanced budget amendment Staff Report Bradenton Herald A member of the majority party for the first time in his congressional career, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan has proposed a constitutional amendment that would require a balanced federal budget. HEALTH AND SENIORS Bill fights abortion in 2014 By Jim Saunders Health News Florida Florida lawmakers are taking the abortion battle to an arena that doesn't yet exist: Health-insurance exchanges. Agencies would merge under sweeping health care bill By Christine Jordan Sexton Florida Tribune Rep. Janet Adkins has filed a sweeping reorganization bill that would fold most of the state's health and human services programs into one agency with six regional offices across the state. Who's in charge at health? By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Even before Gov. Rick Scott took the oath of office on Tuesday, the top two officials of the Department of Health were gone, leaving the agency in the hands of former State Rep. Kim Berfield. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE, AND SOCIAL ISSUES Florida poverty: Destitution grows Editorial Florida Times-Union During recent elections, candidates in Florida have been preoccupied with their polling numbers. But one set of profoundly troubling numbers ought to command everyone's attention. Senate Sets the Stage for Debate on Immigration By Kathleen Haughney News Service of Florida The first of three immigration meetings set for Monday will be the Senate's first look at a debate over a comprehensive Arizona-style measure, a topic that Gov. Rick Scott made one of the biggest social issues of his campaign for governor. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Court ruling punishes citizens for appealing development cases By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times We're always fighting in Florida over who should be allowed to build what. And sometimes, if citizens don't like what their local government is allowing, they go to court. Bondi in Wall Street Journal: More states will follow Florida in suing the feds over health care law By Mitch Perry Creative Loafing On Pam Bondi’s first full day in office, the new Attorney General in Florida has written an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on the topic that she brought the most passion to during her campaign – picking up the mantle from Bill McCollum on leading the fight against the individual mandate provision written into the health care reform bill that President Obama signed last spring.